


It Must Be Forgiven

by The_idea_master



Category: overwatch
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 10:31:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13246353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_idea_master/pseuds/The_idea_master
Summary: A prompt requesting former Gency before the fall of Overwatch and a reunion. However, both part ways but remain close even as Angela falls in love with Fareeha Amari. It's a really beautiful one shot of friendship that remains despite the past"People change. It must be forgiven."





	It Must Be Forgiven

Genji had a heart of gold. It was something Angela had always admired about him. His ability to smile against the odds and have faith and hope in the greater good of the world. It was something she often needed, the optimism and enthusiasm. 

Her job portrayed the darker side of things. The wounds she saw, the families that suffered from conflict, it was a large burden to bear. Genji made it easier to hold and for the she was eternally grateful. 

He was a safe place in all of the chaos, a person who did his best to understand her, even if others found her small ticks and habits annoying. A confident unlike anyone else. 

"I am scared. Almost every day I am reminded that I'm human too, and I'm not prepared for what may happen one day." Angela admitted one evening sitting beside Genji on the base roof. 

"If you are afraid of dying before our work is finished, do not be." Genji took his mask off and set it aside, warm gentle eyes studying the doctor. "There will always be others to carry on our duty." 

"How are you so certain?" Angela asked her throat tight with emotion. Genji laughed warmly and wrapped an arm around his lover's shoulders pulling her close to his side. 

"My biggest consolation is little Fareeha Amari." Genji shook his head in amusement. "She will grow to be like her mother, if we leave things on hands like hers, all will be fine." 

"She is only one person." Angela argued resting her head on his shoulder. 

"It all starts with one person Angela. An inspiration. Sparks breed flames. We must nurture those below us. It is why in my culture teachers are valued more than anything." Angela knew that in a lot of places education was important but the wage of teachers was laughable. "Teachers, adults, elders, we breed the youth to create a world better than the one we leave behind. We must be there for the small souls."

"You're very wise." Angela smiled softly. 

"I have been taught by a wise master." Genji laughed running a hand through her loose blonde hair. "We as people change. All must be forgiven in the end."   
\-----  
It seemed Genji had always been honest with his words. The fall of Overwatch silenced their feelings and the past was seemingly snuffed out. That was until the recall happened. Angela remembered vividly the conversation they had that night. The hope she'd clung to born directly from his words. 

Their reunion was sweet but it was different and hard to ignore. It had been too long and Genji had found solace elsewhere. 

"Still as charming as ever." Angela mused seeing his eyes light up. 

"You as well Doctor." Genji gave her a respectful bow. "It is good to see such a wonderful friend." 

"Indeed." Angela agreed. That evening they talked once more upon the roof. 

"It is easy to sense that things aren't as they were." Genji began eyes closed as the breeze flushed across his scarred face. 

"Perhaps not." Angela sighed a hint of melancholy to her voice. 

"People change. It must be forgiven my dear." Genji's voice was as soothing as ever. There as no tension between them, no awkwardness, just a mutual and comfortable understanding. 

"I know." Angela nodded moving to stand beside him. "I will still love, just not as before." 

"And I you." Genji smiled taking her hand in his. Not as a romantic gesture but a platonic symbol of admiration and adoration. "After all, you were the one to see me more than my parts." 

"And you were the one to make me smile when I needed it." Angela looked out across the grounds of the base where others, old and new, were excitedly greeting one another. "You are my dearest friend." 

"Let it remain so." Genji turned towards the doctor. "I enjoy being your confident." 

"And I yours, my friend." The two embraced tightly both in goodbye and hello. The past would die but the present would live. Perhaps romance between them had gone but friendship stronger than any bond Angela had experienced in a long time, remained. 

\----  
Fareeha Amari arrived last of all to the base. It had been a place she'd longed to be a part of for so long but there was a crippling sense of nostalgia to it. There were people there she'd grown up knowing but they would be different, changed. She'd lost too much already, the idea of having broken bonds would open old wounds. 

"Fareeha." A chipped voice with the hint of a synthesized undertone caught her attention. 

"Genji." She smiled seeing him run towards her. 

"It is good to see you. We have wondered when you would arrive." The cyborg gave a polite bow and offered to take her bag. 

"It's alright I can carry this." Fareeha assured him. Her gaze settled back on the entrance to the inner workings of the base. 

"I sense hesitation within you." Genji spoke softly. "Why?"

"I don't know." Fareeha admitted. "It's been so long since I've seen everyone I-"

"You are afraid of what has changed." Genji finished resting a hand on her shoulder. Fareeha sighed and nodded in admission. "My friend you will be surprised what has remained the same." 

The words were all the comfort she needed and Genji happily obliged in leading her inside. There was a comfortable chaos about the renewed assembly of heroes. 

"Fareeha!" Reinhardt roared surging forward and picking her up in a bone crushing hug. 

"Hey Rein." She laughed bag falling to the floor gladly hugging the gentle giant in return. 

"Well if it isn't the baby Amari." McCree smirked tipping his hat as Reinhardt set her down. 

"Jesse." Fareeha nodded to him tilling an invisible hat of her own. The gesture made the cowboy smile genuinely for once. He'd missed the little squirt more than he was willing to admit. 

"We've watched your highlights in the tellie." Lena bounced up and down. "Quite the person you've come to be I say. A real hero!"

"Thank you." Fareeha laughed eyes scanning the many familiar faces. "We are missing someone." 

"That would be the doctor." Genji chuckled. "She went to prepare you a space to settle. The others were too excited." 

The others have sheepish nods in response. Angela of course, was the reasonable one, Fareeha thought. "Well, once I settle if love to hear all about what's been happening." 

"Likewise!" Reinhardt thundered. "I bet you have stories to share just like your mother." 

She did. Fareeha was more than willing to share them but she would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly overwhelmed by everything. Making her way down the corridors due to Genji's guidance they paused outside the door of her designated room. 

"Come in." Came Angela's familiar voice. 

Genji opened the door stepping inside followed by Fareeha. "She's here." 

"Well that was fast." Angela sighed turning her attention away from straightening things up to face the two visitors. She went silent in surprise for a moment before shaking her head. 

"Oh you don't need to straighten up anymore. It looks fine." Fareeha said eyes skimming across the room. 

"Are you sure?" Angela asked brushing aside a loose strand of hair. Fareeha had most certainly changed. She was incredibly tall, lanky almost if it weren't for the taught muscles beneath her skin. 

"Yeah definitely. Nicer than how I used to keep my room." Fareeha smiled and suddenly Angela was reminded of the little girl who was more than happy to have an unorganized room. 

"You and McCree both." Genji snorted. "Well I must go, I need to discuss some issues with my brother." 

"If you need anything Genji let me know." Angela gave him a kind look and he nodded before leaving. 

Fareeha watched the exchange curiously. "It's good to see you guys back together." 

"Oh..." Angela laughed nervously. "No we aren't. Just friends now. It was a mutual agreement but, he's still got a soft spot in my heart. Always a good and reliable friend." 

"Oh I'm sorry for assuming it's just..." Angela waved away Fareeha's apology. 

"No matter. It's quite alright. Things change. I guess I learned a lot even in my time away from the base." It sounded like there was more to that story but Fareeha didn't pry. 

"Well thank you again for the room. I'll look forward to talking more." She really did. Fareeha had always admired Angela when she was younger, maybe even more than her own mother. 

"As do I. Only a doctor's work never rests and neither do I." Angela gave a tired sigh before leaving Fareeha to make herself comfortable. 

\-----  
A few months passed and Fareeha had adapted easily into the Overwatch life. She and her suit were a New and wonderful addition to the team much to Jack's excitement. For once Angela could be protected in the skies and the two women were nearly an unstoppable force. 

That was until Ana Amari decided to return. There was a lot of anger inside of Fareeha that she wasn't used to dealing with. The aerial tactics within missions crumbled and it wasn't Angela who pulled the plug but Fareeha herself. 

"I can't. Not right now." Fareeha had said as they stood in the lockers. She was peeling off the tight black suit that protected her skin from her armor. 

"Fareeha don't sell yourself short it was a mistake it's understandable." Angela assured her hanging up sections of her own suit inside her locker. 

"You could have gotten hurt! That would be on my hands and everything else that happens to the others because our healer can't get to them." Fareeha's hands shook as she pulled off her helmet. 

"Please, calm down. I understand it's been hard with everything but even I make mistakes." Angela turned towards the other girl to see that her entire body was shaking with pent up emotions. "Fareeha...I know you've been avoiding the topic but you have t-"

"What?" She demanded slamming the locker door shut and turning to face Angela. "I'm supposed to kiss and make up with my Mom? Talk it through? It's not that easy." 

"I just want you to be happy you're my friend." Angela's expression softened. 

"I can't think Angela. Everywhere I go I'm bombarded with feelings and emotions and memories that have to with everything my mother put me through." Fareeha's voice was a whisper as she struggled to control her voice. "When I'm in the sky all I can think of is that weightlessness I felt learning about her death. When I close my eyes I can see the funeral play out on the back of my eyelids like a movie." 

Angela made a move to rest a hand on her comrade's shoulder but Fareeha brushed it off. "Fareeha please. You may not be able to tell her but you can tell me. I know what it's like to feel the loss you have. I know how it hurts but if you hold onto it...it will destroy you." 

"I did everything to make her proud you know?" It was unmistakeable now, Fareeha Amari was crying, and Angela was certain no one besides herself had ever seen an Amari cry before. "I ran myself into he ground for Helix, for her. I thought somewhere she was watching and she'd be glad I could carry on our name with such pride. That I could restore our honor after the fall of Overwatch. That I could be better than her. Be more than she was just like she wanted. It was all a damn waste." 

This time Fareeha didn't pull away from Angela's hug and she held the shaking warrior with a careful gentleness. "It wasn't a waste. You've become one of the best Overwatch agents ever. Jack's been talking about promoting you to commander. He believes in you, we all do." 

"How am I supposed to stay here and look her in the eye when she lied to me?" Fareeha asked voice broken. 

"Because you're strong. Because she lied out of love, even if it wasn't right. Parents make mistakes and we must forgive them. People change and we must forgive them." Angela remembered the conversation she'd had with Genji. "Before Overwatch fell Genji and I...we believed you would take care of things if we were to fall in battle." 

"What?" Fareeha pulled back her tear stained face one of confusion. 

"You always had such a gentle heart. Still do. We both knew that one day, if all else failed, we'd be leaving the world in good hands. Yours. People like you as well. Young kids like Hana and Lucio." This distraction seemed to work wonders in calming down the Egyptian. "That was okay with me. If I could pass the torch on to someone like you then I'd done my job." 

"Angela..."Fareeha started before pausing to collect her thoughts. "I am not the person everyone believes. I am not as strong as they think. Look at me. I can hardly face my own mother." 

"Because you're angry and hurt." Angela spoke sternly. "Because you're human. You're not weak for having emotions Fareeha, it makes you strong for expressing them." 

\-----  
Angela was there for the confrontation and the aftermath of the confrontation. She was there to comfort Fareeha after the yelling. To whisper encouragement and assure her of her worth. 

"She's never going to forgive me." Fareeha spoke shakily. 

"You don't know that." Angela insisted drying her friend's tears. She wasn't sure what spurred the gesture but she didn't hesitate to press a light kiss to Fareeha's forehead. "Just give it time." 

Angela was there to have a tsk of her own with Ana, surprisingly unafraid of the woman. 

"I suppose you're here to confront me as well." Ana sighed having been found at the shooting range. 

"I am." Angela replied flatly. 

"All that needs to be said has been." Ana replied reloading when Angela very bravely moved the gun aside. 

"No." Angela shook her head earning a glare from the older woman. "Your daughter is hurting but you're both too full of pride to admit the things you've done wrong." 

"Hubris is not my flaw Ziegler." Ana laughed cooly.

"No, but your flaw is guilt." This caused Ana to still. "You hold a lot of it, I've always seen it. You believe you can't be forgiven and so you defeat any attempt at reconciliation before it's given a chance." 

"Doctor, quit frankly, I think you've missed you diagnosis." 

"Have I?" Angela raised her eyebrows. "You have yet to confront Reinhardt or Jack and the only person you have talked to us Fareeha and it was a disaster. You were cold and harsh." 

"Are you accusing me of bullying my own daughter?" Ana laughed. 

"I'm accusing you of being insensitive. You were all she had as a girl. You have no apology, no admission of fault." Angela's anger bubbled. "I would give anything to see my parents walk through the doors of this base. To see them and I can guarantee you if I know my father as well as I remember, he would drop to his knees. He would weep and he would apologize until I told him to shut up." 

Ana remained silent watching the young doctor with a calculated stare. Always a person looking for the shot but she did not fire. There was something that clicked in her head. "Why do you care so much Ziegler?"

"Because Fareeha is my friend. I rely on her in battle and she is too damaged to even consider going on active duty." Angela replied. 

"Is that it?" Ana felt the corner of her mouth twitch into a small smile. 

"Yes!" Angela insisted. "Because the skies are lonely and scary by myself. The bases are cold and dark and unfriendly. She's the glue that holds all of us together. She makes Lena laugh, comforts Reinhardt if he's having a bad day, jokes along with Genji, is one of the few who can calm Jesse, understand Jack's strategies and ideas, help Hana with her mech-"

"And you?" Ana questioned taking her gun back all former hostility gone. 

"She reminds me to take care of myself." Angela had always been the one to neglect her needs for others. Fareeha was one of the few who asked about her well being. If she'd slept, if she'd eaten, if she'd showered. It made sense for Fareeha to worry, they both needed to be in tip top shape to work together effectively. 

"And now you are reminding me to take care of her." Angela nodded at Ana's words. "Yet the position has already been filled." 

So there it was. Ana was distancing herself on purpose. Angela always knew the sniper was calculated but it made sense now. Angela had encroached on her territory, she was Fareeha's primary source of comfort and source of advice. Ana did not want to ruin what little Fareeha had going for her. 

"You see now don't you." Ana mused. 

"I...." Angela shook her head swallowing hard. "I never meant to be your replacement." 

"Angela dear you always were my replacement." Ana sighed but it was friendlier than before. "How many times did Fareeha turn to you when she was small before coming to me?" 

"I didn't mean-" Ana held up a hand silencing the doctor. 

"I know I am harsh at times, that I can be unkind, but it has always been to toughen her. You have never been that way. You draw people in, like you have your own gravitational force." Ana rested her hands on Angela's shoulders. "It was why Genji loved you, it is why Lena adores you, why Reinhardt used to visit you for the sake of visiting."

"Still, don't let me interfere. I can't see her upset anymore, none of us can." Angela pleaded. 

"I will go to her. There will come a time though, when she will not always need me." Ana had the gleam that only a fox could have. As if she somehow always knew more than everyone else. 

\----  
Things settled and Fareeha and Ana slowly renewed the bond of mother and daughter. The conflict was seemingly forgotten. Again Angela remembered Genji's words, people change and it must be forgiven. 

It was ironic seeing as how he stood in her office ready for a full systems check and physical. 

"How are optic functions?" Angela asked clip board in hand. 

"Prefect." Genji smiled. 

"Great, now do a motor skills run." Genji did as told his systems seeming o be in perfect order so far. 

"Knock knock!" Angela glanced up from her clip board and Genji turned to see Fareeha poking her head in through the door. "Nice buns of steel Genji." 

"You sound like McCree." Genji sighed. 

"What's up Fareeha?" Angela asked. 

"Just taking lunch requests. What do you want? I'm helping Rein in the kitchen." Angela thought for a moment. 

"The usual." She shrugged. 

"Cool." Fareeha left shutting the door. 

"You two have been inseparable lately." Genji noted with a charismatic tone. 

"Yes, well she insists on showing me a bunch of old movies." Angela sighed taking a few more notes for Genji's systems check. 

"You sound displeased." He laughed. 

"Not in the slightest. It's quite entertaining but...I do like modern classics a bit more." Angela winked. 

\-----  
It was perhaps two years after the recall that everyone discovered the real secret behind the two. They'd been dating for nearly three months until Hana cracked the mystery. Then all hell broke loose. There were those of course, who'd known far longer than the rest. 

Ana and Reinhardt had been the confident for Fareeha and Angela had instinctively turned to Genji.

"Genji..." Angela knocked lightly on the door nerves causing her stomach to turn in knots. He opened with an enthusiastic expression. 

"What can I do for you?" He'd asked. Angela stepped inside upon invitation and perched on the edge of his bed. 

"I...am a bit afraid." Angela admitted. 

"How so?" Genji questioned concern in his voice. 

"I think I'm in love with Fareeha." The words seemed to bounce around in the empty room. 

"Well, then I am not needed." Genji smiled. "It appears you've made sense of it yourself." 

"You're not upset?" Angela asked nervously. 

"How could I be? I want you to be happy. It's wonderful news. Besides we made an agreement don't you remember?" Genji questioned taking her hands in his own. "You get to start fresh. I must say she is an excellent choice." 

"You think so?" Angela asked. 

"Indeed. I admire her strength and resolve." Genji nodded giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "It is alright to move on. People change-"

"And it must be forgiven." Angela finished with a small smile. "But how do I tell her?"

"As simply as you've told me." Genji explained. "It is not something one should blow out of proportion. Many people over think love. They come up with the most complex explanation they can. It is not the case. Love is simple, it is something everyone knows." 

"How can something unexplainable be simple?" Angela laughed. 

"That's the simplicity of it. It is anything you want it to be." 

\-----  
That was how they'd ended up here. Preparing for a wedding that was a few months away. It was an exciting prospect and Genji was surprisingly good at planning for the event. 

What he was most surmised about was Fareeha's willingness to turn to him for help. He'd always expected some form of animosity between them but she was as reasonable as he was. There was no place for that. No need for it. 

Genji had once confirmed her about it out of curiosity. "I always assumed you would dislike me for my former relations with Angela." 

Fareeha had laughed. "Genji, if anything I want you to be my friend. You knew her before me, before I was old enough to really comprehend things like relationships. You're a vital source of information. I also know that you're very dear to Angela, it wouldn't be fair to either of you if I declared you my enemy." 

Genji felt a weight lift from his shoulders that day. "Thank you my friend."   
\-----  
He was now lucky enough to stand as best man for Angela at the wedding. Lucky enough to witness such a wonderful event. Lucky enough to still have friends in his life. It hadn't been as he'd expected but it was worth it. Most importantly, he was glad for the experience of it all. 

What surprised him most that evening was when Hanzo paused him in a dance having come from a polite conversation with Fareeha. Genji listened wise eyed as his brother poured out a deep apology and hugged his brother tightly. 

"What has brought such emotion brother?" Genji asked hugging him. 

"A little bird told me, people change, it must be forgiven." Genji's eyes traveled to find Fareeha watching from afar. She gave him a smile and a nod. 

Warmth flared in his chest and he embraced Hanzo once more. "All is forgiven....brother."


End file.
